Here's a wacky activity that kids are sure to love: make a face that has shoelaces for hair! Designing crazy hairstyles for their characters is sure to get your kids laughing and giggling together. And the best part? Lacing is great for building hand strength and muscle control, two things crucial to good handwriting.
What You Need:
- 1 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" sheet of card stock (cut an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet in half)
- Hole punch
- Thin colored shoelaces or yard-length colored yarn with Scotch tape wound around each end
- Colored pencils and markers
What You Do:
- Ask your child to draw the basic outline of a face, neck, and shoulders on the card stock. Once the outline is drawn, have him add eyes, nose, mouth, and any other features except hair to the face. Make sure there's enough space around the head for the hair.
- Punch holes along the edge of the head and above it, spacing them about 1/2" apart. Since the placement of the holes will determine the character's hairstyle, let your child decide where to put them.
- Invite him to pick up one of the shoelaces or lengths of yarn and tie a knot in one end.
- Help him thread it through the far left hole, threading from the back of the card to the front so the knot lies on the back side.
- Encourage him to continue lacing the card, stitching the shoelace or yarn through each hole to create the character's hair.
- Once he stitches the last hole, have him tie a knot in the end of the shoelace or yarn to keep it in place.
Try making a whole family of laced faces with your child. Vary the hairstyles by punching holes in different places and using different colored yarn or shoelaces.
By Shaheen Bilgrami
Shaheen Bilgrami has been writing and editing children's books for over twelve years. Her books have been published all over the world.
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